A significant seismic event rattled the Indian subcontinent on Friday morning as a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck central Bangladesh and sent tremors rippling across borders into West Bengal and Northeast India. The quake, which originated near the Bangladeshi capital, disrupted daily life in bustling metropolises and forced an unprecedented pause in international sporting action.
Also read: Earthquake Measuring 5.1 Magnitude Hits Kolkata, North Bengal
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) pinpointed the epicenter in Narsingdi, approximately 50 kilometers from Dhaka, with a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. This shallow focal depth allowed the seismic waves to travel with intensity, ensuring the jolts were felt far beyond the immediate vicinity of the epicenter.
In a dramatic turn of events at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, the ongoing second Test match between Bangladesh and Ireland was temporarily suspended. As the ground began to sway, players from both sides looked visibly unsettled, and the umpires immediately called for a halt to the proceedings. Spectators and officials watched in anxious silence as the tremors persisted for several seconds. While the interruption was brief and play eventually resumed once the safety of the infrastructure was assessed, the image of international athletes freezing mid-game served as a stark reminder of the region’s geological vulnerability.
Across the border in India, the impact was felt sharply in Kolkata. Residents in high-rise apartments and office complexes reported distinct swaying of furniture and light fixtures. The tremors, which occurred around 10:10 AM, triggered a wave of panic in the commercial districts of Salt Lake and Newtown, where employees hurriedly evacuated their office buildings and gathered in open streets. Social media platforms were instantly flooded with videos of swaying ceiling fans and crowds gathering outside corporate parks, though local authorities confirmed there was no immediate report of structural damage or casualties in the city.
The seismic activity was not limited to West Bengal. The tremors reverberated across the Seven Sisters, with residents in Guwahati, Agartala, and Shillong experiencing the jolts. The topography of the Northeast, coupled with its proximity to active fault lines, often amplifies the sensation of such tremors. Disaster management authorities in these states immediately initiated protocols to assess potential damage in remote areas, although initial reports suggested the infrastructure had held up well against the medium-intensity quake.
Geologists have long warned that this region sits on a ticking clock regarding seismic activity. The complex interaction between the Indian, Eurasian, and Sunda tectonic plates creates immense subterranean pressure that periodically releases in the form of earthquakes. Friday’s event serves as another geological wake-up call for the densely populated urban centers of South Asia. While the magnitude of 5.5 is classified as moderate, the shallow depth and the proximity to major population hubs like Dhaka and Kolkata highlight the catastrophic potential of a larger event in this zone.
In time, normalcy had largely returned to the affected cities. However, the preceding events left an uneasy calm in their wake, prompting renewed discussions on urban preparedness and the structural integrity of buildings in these rapidly expanding cities.
